Property with a rent charge

[OrwellianTimes]

Has anyone had any experience of this? It’s an old rent charge from the 1930’s and it’s really getting me worried. Is it true the house can be repossessed if it’s unpaid?

Old rent charges can mean lots of different things. With some types then yes ultimately if you don’t pay it or you break the conditions then they could take back the property.

what does your solicitor say though?

My first house had a really old rent charge from the 1930’s, and we would have had no idea how to pay it! Not sure how but my solicitor ‘bought it out’ and it was removed from the Charges section of the Land Registry Title. At the time of our purchase. I don’t think it cost very much - maybe 7 years of the rent charge, plus the solicitors time I’m sure! So you could ask your solicitor if it can be bought out.

I also recall reading that rent charges are going to extinguish at some point in the 2030’s. I can’t remember the details but it might be worth a google.

https://wards.uk.com/news/rentcharges-welcome-changes-to-the-law-now-up-and-running/

They expire by 2037

I didn't have a rent charge but I had some mad charge should the church need a new altar! In all the time it was built no one paid it.

In my next house there was something about possibly being charged rent for the tiny lane at the back. When I sold I had some sort of insurance for £50 just in case.

Oh how I miss my favourite house with the mad altar charge! I also couldn't keep livestock inside!

It’s been 6 working days and they’ve not said anything. There’s an indemnity policy in place but it’s not at the current value of the house.

Yea they do, but that’s 12 years away still, the total money between now and then is the price of a meal out so I’m not worried about that. I’m worried that the rent charge owner between now and they could apply their right to impose a leasehold or repossess the house, and I’m finding it very hard to get information that isn’t incredibly alarming.

Is that not chancel liability? There’s an indemnity policy that covers that. I read a story of where a couple got hit with £40,000 bill to repair their local church.

Here’s a chancel liability story. Looks like there’s legislation in the pipeline to remove this sometime.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/6329335.stm